Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-11-18


her face pressed against the window, was
looking out on the moonit slope beside
the Whippany river.
For, by one of those freaks peculiar to
the American springtide the weather hal
again marvclously changed. The rain
had ceased, and the ground was covered
with an icing Of slect and snow, that now
glittered undcra clear sky and n brilliant
moon. The northeast wind that shook
the loose sashcs of the windows had trans
formed each dripping tree and shrub to
icy stalactites that silyered under the
moons cold touch.
CTS beautiful sight ladies, said
bluff, hearty, middle aged man, joining
the group by the window. But God
send the spring to us quickly, and spare
us any more such cruel changcsl My lady
moon looks fine enough, differing in
yonder tree tops but | doubt not she
looks down upon many poor fellow
shivering under his tattered blankets in
the camp beyond. Had ye seen the Con-
necticut tatterdemalions file by last night
with arms reversed, showing their teeth
at his eXeellency, and yet not daring to
bite; had ye watched these faint hearts,
these doubling Thomases, ripe for re-
bellion against his eNCellency, against the
cause, but chiefly against the weather.
We would pray for a thaw that would
melt the hearts of these men as it would
these stubborn fields around us. Two
weeks more of such weather would raise
up not one Allan Brewster, but dozen
such malcontcnt puppies ripe for drum
head court martial
"Yet tits a fine night, Gen. Sullivan, "
said Col. Hamilton, sharply nudging the
ribs Of his slipcrior officer with his elbow.
"There would be little trouble on such a
NIGHT fancy to track our ohostlv WISH
| tant.n Both of the ladies' becoming in
terpsted. and Col. Hamilton having thus
adroitlv turned the flanl, of his superior
officer. he went on: "You should know
that the camp. and indeed the whole To-
calitv here. is said to be haunted by the
| appar:tion of n lrrav coated figure. whose
| face is mufIled and hidden in his collar,
| but who has the password pat to his lips,
md whose identity hath bafIled the SEN
| tries. This figure. it is said. forasmuch as
| if has been seen inst before an assault. an
| attack or some tribulation of the army.
| is believed bv manv to he the genius or
Guardian shirt of tbc cause md. as such.
| has melted spntries and guards to preater
vigilance. and has to some seemed a pre-
monition of disaster. Before the last out
! break of the Connecticut militia, Master
! Graycoat haunted the outskirts of the
weatherbeaten and bedraggled camp,
and. doubt not, saw much of that prepa-
ration that sent that regiment of faint
hearted onion gatherers to fiaunt their
woes and their wrongs in the face of the
general himself" Here Col. Hamilton,
in turn. received a slight nudge from Mis-
tress Schuyler, and ended his speech
| somewhat abruptly.
Mistress Thankful was not unmindful
of both these illusions to her faithless
| lover but only n consciousness of NORTH
cation and wounded pride was awakened
nv them. In fact. during the first tenn
pest of her indignation at his arrest. still
later at the arrest of her father, and
finally mt the discovery of his perfidv TO
her she had forgotten that he was her
lover: she had forgotten her previous ten
derness toward him; and. now that her
| fire and indignation were spent. ONLY a
sense of numbness and vacancy remained.
All that had gone before seemed not some
thing to be regretted as her own act, but
rather as the act of another Thankful
blossom. who had been lost that night in
| the snow storm; she felt she had become.
within the last twenty-four hours, not
perhaps another woman, but for the first
time Il woman.
Yet il was singular that she felt more
confused when. a few moments later. the
conversation turned upon Mai. Van
Zandt; it was still more singular that she
even felt considerably frightened at that
confusion. Finally she found herself list
eninr with alternate irritabilitv. shame
and curiosity. to praises of that gentle
man. of his courage. his devotion and his
personal graces. For one wild moment
| Tbonl,ful folt like throvincr berself ON
the breast of Mistress SCHUYLER. and CON
Tossing her rudeness to the major; but n
conviction that Mistress SCHUYLER would
share that secret with Col. Hamilton.
that Mai Van Zaudt might not like
that revelation. and, oddly enough
associated with this. feeling of
unconouerable irritablity toward thai
handsome and gentle younr officer. kent
her month closed ..Besides ~ she said
To herself che ought 70 know if he's
such n fine gentleman MS they say inst
how I was feeling. and that didn't mean
any rudoness TO him:m and with this nm